From Monster to Moony: First Year
by Miss Anonymous hp
Summary: Remus Lupin was once a normal boy, but one fateful night changed all of that. IN HIATUS.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** I do not own JKR's beautiful work, for if I did I would be selling it to a publisher instead of posting it here. No offence intended of course.   
  
**Summary:** Remus Lupin was once a normal boy, but one fateful night changed all of that.   
  


From Monster To Moony: Year One

  
  
The Lupins were a lovely family; everyone who knew them thought so. Cheerful Amelia Lupin was an excellent cook and a devoted young mother. Edwin, her husband, was frequently away on business but he adored his family and doted on them when he was at home. And little Remus was a charming boy, well behaved and mature for his age.   
  
The Lupins were a highly respected wizarding family. In the Wizarding World, many smiled when the family's name was mentioned. They were widely known, and even the old magical families (who often frowned upon any wizard who even thought about having any sort of relations with Muggles) respected them to some extent.   
  
No one would wish a curse upon this family that could not be cured or stopped. Certainly, no one would have guessed that on August 13, 1962 a tragedy would befall Remus Lupin, who was barely four at the time. That was the night the Lupins' lives were forever changed.   
  


  
"You look so pretty, Mummy! Why are you worried?" the jumpy four-year-old questioned.   
  
"Ah, Remus," Amelia Lupin sighed to her son as she straightened her robes out, "Your father is coming home! I'm just anticipating his return, that's all."   
  
"Anticipating?" Remus repeated in confusion. "What's _that_ mean?"   
  
Amelia giggled.   
  
"I want to sing and dance and clean the house and cook the best dinner all at once, and all just because your father is finally coming home." Amelia explained as she engulfed her son in her arms.   
  
"Oh!" Remus nodded in understanding. "Well, then I'm anticipating his return too."   
  
Amelia grinned and nodded, "That we are, my little prince of Rome." She placed Remus on her hip and gave him a sideways glance. "Besides, we want to look our best for your father, don't we?"   
  
"I _do_ look my best!" Remus said defiantly.   
  
Amelia raised an eyebrow at him as she used her free hand to grab one of his chocolate-covered cheeks.   
  
"Oh, you do, do you?" Amelia asked sceptically, but Remus just nodded his head vigorously. She put Remus back down on the ground, turning back to her hair. She felt two little hands tickle her sides, but all she did was smirk. "I'm not ticklish there, my little prince, but unfortunately for you, you are."   
  
Turning around to face her energetic toddler, Amelia immediately began to tickle his sides. She was rewarded with squeals of laughter. Having worked Remus's squeals to gasps, Amelia let up and leaned toward him. "Who's the tickling master?"   
  
Remus put a finger to his chin in thought. "Daddy?"   
  
Amelia put on a face of mock hurt. Tickling his ribs, Remus began to squeal once again.   
  
"Mummy is! Mummy is!"   
  
Lifting his shirt, burying her face in his bare stomach and blowing a raspberry, Amelia looked at her son who was thoroughly exhausted from giggling. Amelia leaned toward him once more to share a butterfly kiss, rub their noses together in an Eskimo kiss, and to land a big kiss on his cheek. Remus placed a small hand on her cheek and gave her a small peck in return.   
  
"Soon," Amelia sighed sadly, "You'll be too old for me to do that."   
  
"I'll never be too old, Mummy." Remus said earnestly.   
  
"Won't you, now?" Amelia asked, raising one eyebrow at him.   
  
"I _won't!_ I _promise!_"   
  
Laughing joyfully, Amelia helped her son stand up straight. "I'll hold you to that promise when you're heading off to school."   
  
"Primary or Wizarding?" asked Remus innocently.   
  
"Wizarding. And you're too smart for your own good, you know that?" Amelia rolled her eyes as she grabbed her handkerchief, dampening it with her saliva before attempting to rid his face of excess food.   
  
"No, I'm not!" Remus giggled. He scrunched his nose up in disgust as he felt his mother's thumb rub against his cheek to try to remove the crumbs. He tried to pull away from his mother's grasp.   
  
"Cheeky brat." Amelia teased as she continued to wipe the excess food from her son's face. He continued to squirm in her arms. "Remus, stay still, I need to get this gunk off your face." Amelia scowled. Remus sighed. Rolling her eyes at her very hard-headed son, Amelia continued cleaning him. "You'll understand when you're older and have kids of your own that it's not good to be filthy."   
  
"When I have kids I won't care. Besides," Remus said mocking his mother's superior tone, "I can't wait to be older anyhow."   
  
"Oh, you can't, can you? Well, when you're older you'll have to do all that grown-up stuff. Like... buy food--"   
  
"Chocolate!"   
  
"Cook dinner--"   
  
"You need to cook chocolate?"   
  
"Clean the house--"   
  
"The house looks fine to me."   
  
"Go to the bank--"   
  
"Money!"   
  
"And all that other rotten stuff."   
  
"Not so rotten to me," Remus said shrugging his shoulders as his mother pulled the handkerchief away from his face, "Sounds kind of fun."   
  
"Fun," Amelia snorted. "That's what I loved about being a kid. Now," she said in that _don't-try-to-question-me_ voice, "Go have fun outside and play while I finish up here. But don't go too far, you hear me?"   
  
"Yes, Mummy!" Remus squealed as he raced out of the house toward the creek.   
  
Sighing to herself, Amelia looked up at an owl that had been watching them. "Nylon, go watch Remus. Make sure he doesn't go too far, and call me if something happens. You know I'll hear it." The bird gave a slight bob of his head as if to acknowledge her words, and flew outside after Remus.   
  


  
"Remus! It's time to come in!" Amelia shouted from the door as she scanned the grounds for her son. The loud call of an owl made her glance toward a tree overlooking the creek. Her eyes met Nylon's for a moment before she looked down. Beneath the branch where the midnight coloured bird was perched, Remus knelt. He was imitating a frog. Smiling, Amelia repeated her call, "Remus! It's getting dark!"   
  
Remus, however, had other ideas. He seemed to be quite satisfied with emulating a new friend he'd found in the creek. Roger, he called him, Roger the Frog. Amelia sighed, wiped her hands on her apron, and made her way over to him. She scooped him up in her arms.   
  
"Mum! But Roger will be lonely!" Remus protested as he vainly tried to wiggle free.   
  
"'Roger'?" She looked over her shoulder as she headed toward the cottage and spotted the little frog. "Oh, Roger! I'm sure Roger will be fine. He likes the creek better than our musty old cottage anyway, and you don't want him to be sad, d'you?"   
  
Remus shook his head slowly.   
  
"You can visit Roger tomorrow, he won't mind. In fact," Amelia said, entering the kitchen and proceeding to wash his hands, "He would prefer it if you did. As would I. Your father will be home any minute and dinner still isn't ready."   
  
"He won't mind." Remus said softly as Amelia turned away from her son to the stove. "He never does."   
  
Whether he was talking about Roger or his father was anyone's guess, but Amelia just gave a small smile. "Remus, go on to your room and entertain yourself while I finish dinner; it would really help me out a lot."   
  
He nodded.   
  
"Thanks, my little prince." He was gone before she could say another word.   
  
It was nearly half an hour later when Remus re-entered the kitchen and began to pull on the hem of his mother's dress robe. Looking down at her son, she couldn't help but smile. "What is it, Remus?"   
  
"It's dark outside."   
  
Amelia raises an eyebrow at her son and nodded slowly, "Yes, I see that. That's because it's late, my little prince."   
  
"Roger doesn't like the dark." Remus pouted. "Can I go get him really quick?"   
  
Amelia shot a nervous glance outside at the full moon. "No, Remus. It's too late at night, and you know that things are out and about at night."   
  
"That's why I want to bring him inside! He's scared of all of the creatures. Please let me bring him inside!" Remus begged.   
  
Amelia shook her head forcefully. "No, Remus. He can wait out one night. You can bring him in tomorrow, just not tonight. Understand?"   
  
Remus made a sound of protest and stuck his bottom lip out in a pout. "Yes, Ma'am."   
  
"That's a good boy, now go wash up. We're going to eat soon whether your father gets home or not." Amelia let a small sigh escape her lips as her son once again disappeared from the kitchen. She busied herself stirring the stew and looked up at the full moon once more.   
  
Humming to herself as she stirred mindlessly, Amelia closed her eyes at the slow rhythm she was making. She nearly had a fright when two arms wrapped themselves around her. She heard a soft voice murmuring something in her ear. The words were too low to be coherent, but she knew what he'd said. Forgetting about the stew, she turned around and fell into her husband's arms. "I missed you too."   
  
When Amelia and Edwin Lupin pulled apart from their embrace, Edwin grinned and sniffed. "Mmm… smells wonderful." He looked at her, his eyes twinkling with delight. "When will it be done?"   
  
"About…" She trailed off as she checked it, "Now." Extinguishing the fire, she called into the house, "Remus! Dinner!" She set three bowls full of stew on the table. "Remus has been so anxious to see you." Amelia reached over to grab Edwin's hand. "He really needs you around more."   
  
"I know." Edwin winced as he leaned back in his chair. "I know. It's so hard to get away from work though, you know that."   
  
"I do." Amelia said, disheartened. "Remus! Dinner!" Shaking her head, she looked up at Edwin and forced a smile. "How was your trip?"   
  
"It was good. Sorry I'm late by the way—Bobby delayed me—you know, he's the trainee. He was full of questions about the mission, as always. I can't just leave him because he's my responsibility, but I was able to convince him to write down all of his questions and send them to me by owl. The letter will be fun to answer.'"   
  
"Oh, he can't be that much of a bother." Amelia laughed. "REMUS! DINNER!"   
  
"You have no idea." Edwin stuffed a spoonful of stew into his mouth. "Mmm… perfect."   
  
She smiled gratefully. "Always the best for you."   
  
She looked at the empty chair. "Where is that boy?"   
  
They were answered by a terrified scream; Amelia and Edwin looked at each other and grabbed their wands. They ran out of the cottage; the scream seemed to echo in the air even after it was silenced by the night. Amelia felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped: it was only her husband.   
  
There was a rustle in the bushes; they both turned toward the sound. Amelia took a half step forward, but Edwin's grip on her shoulder tightened as he pointed his wand at the bushes. "Stay here." He began to stride forward, but before he reached the bushes, a massive wolf lurched out toward them.   
  
A flash of red light from the tip of Edwin's wand struck the wolf's muzzle. The wolf yelped with pain as it fell to the ground, stunned. Edwin looked over his shoulder toward Amelia and gestured forward. "Let's go." Amelia gave a small nod, already breaking into a quick pace behind Edwin.   
  
Beneath the whisper of the soft summer wind, the night had gone oddly quiet. The rustle and scrape of their own footsteps and the rasp of their harsh breathing were the only sounds that Edwin and Amelia could hear. Quickening her pace, Amelia grabbed her husband's arm. She wanted reassurance that everything would be all right. She felt the desperation in those thoughts, and there was a part of her, which already knew that things would never be 'all right' again.   
  
There, a few feet ahead of them, was their son. His head was to one side, left arm bent in an odd direction, right arm floating in the shallow creek. His left leg was turned a bit so that his bare feet barely grazed the water's edge, but his right leg was what made them want to cry out in agony: it was a mangled mess. The flesh seemed to have been torn off and blood was flowing freely into the creek.   
  
Amelia gave a choked sound as she turned away with her hand over her mouth. Edwin could only stand staring at the sight; his hands balled into fists, jaw tight, and eyes burning with incoming tears.   
  
Neither of them moved or said anything. Edwin's heavy breathing and Amelia's stifled sobs were the only sounds to be heard. Edwin finally fell to his knees and buried his face in his hands, openly sobbing for his son's life. There was no doubt in his mind that Remus was dead, and he couldn't bear looking at that unmoving body. Even as he closed his eyes, though, he could still see the sight of their mangled son perfectly. Amelia finally fell to her knees beside him, her back still to Remus. Neither saw his eyes pop open or heard his small gasp. Neither, however, could have mistaken his whimper of pain for the sound of the wind.   
  
Edwin gasped and looked up quickly; his wife jumped up and cried, "Remus!" This brought him back to reality and he ran to his son's side, pulling him into his arms. He rocked him a bit as he whispered into his ear to keep him awake.   
  
"Amelia," Edwin gasped as he pushed his son's hair out of his face, "Floo Madam Julie, quickly, we can't waste any time."   
  
"All right," she murmured as she bent down to kiss Remus' forehead. "Stay awake, my little prince."   
  
"Mum?" Remus murmured sleepily.   
  
"I'll be right back, Remus," Amelia replied shakily before running off across the yards.   
  
Remus took a deep pained breath before looking up at Edwin and smiling sleepily. "Daddy, you're home."   
  
"Yes, Rem, I'm home. And you better not fall asleep when I just got here, you hear me?" Edwin grabbed his son's hand and grasped it tightly.   
  
"I won't." Remus slowly closed his eyes.   
  
"Remus!" Edwin spoke louder then he intended, making Remus start in his arms. "You must stay awake, hear me? You must stay awake."   
  
"But I'm so tired."   
  
Edwin didn't say anything; he just rubbed Remus' arm in comfort. He sighed and looked up at the sky as a shooting star passed by. Even with everything going on, Edwin smiled slightly and spoke quietly into his son's ear. "Look, Remus, there goes a shooting star." Remus opened his eyes slightly and also smiled weakly as the star disappeared behind the trees. "Wish for something quickly now." Edwin watched as Remus squeezed his eyes shut in deep concentration. "Got a wish yet?"   
  
"Mmm-hmm!" Remus said as he looked up at the sky to find the shooting star out of sight. "Did you?"   
  
"I sure did. I wished for you to stay awake until we can get you all better." Edwin stared down at his son's face.   
  
Remus gulped and stifled a yawn before saying in a whisper, "Your wish will come true, Daddy."   
  
"And what was your wish?" Edwin asked and Remus opened his mouth to speak as hurried footsteps came into hearing range.   
  
"It's a secret." Remus whispered as Amelia came up them and knelt down beside Edwin. Madam Julie, a Mediwitch with long light brown hair ran up behind her, pale and panting. She stared at the small Lupin family for a minute.   
  
"We, er--" She gulped and recovered her professional stance. "You did the right thing in calling me, but we must get him to my office. There's nothing I can do here." With one flick of her wand, Remus was lying upon a stretcher in front of Edwin and Amelia. She turned swiftly and began to walk back toward the cottage, the stretcher magically following. Amelia and Edwin scrambled to their feet and followed her briskly as Madam Julie spoke. "Edwin, when we get to the house, I'm going to need you to make a temporary Portkey to my office--I don't believe we'll need one to get back. Also, I believe that we'll--" She stopped in mid-step and her eyes widened as she stared off across the yard to where the stunned wolf lay. "Who-what is that?"   
  
"That's the wolf that b-b-bit Remus." Amelia stuttered over the word "bit". She heard Madam Julie give a quick intake of breath. The Mediwitch turned toward her with wide eyes.   
  
"Wolf? Bit? Then that could mean…" Her face was twice as pale as it was before.   
  
"What could that mean?" Amelia asked hesitantly.   
  
Without answering, the Mediwitch flicked her wand again and the wolf appeared on another stretcher. She bit her bottom lip and gulped before hurrying back toward the house in silence. Edwin and Amelia exchanged worried glances before following. "Edwin, make the Portkey able to transfer two people. We need the wolf at the clinic as well. For all we know, this could be somebody you know."   
  
"Somebody we know…?" Amelia started faintly, her eyes widening in surprise. "Y-you don't mean… You can't mean… No! It's impossible! Muggles are the only people who live for miles!"   
  
"Muggles can catch the curse of lycanthropy just like Wizards, Amelia." Madam Julie flung the door to the cottage open, making it squeak in protest on its hinges. She hurried through the house with both stretchers and parents on her heel.   
  
"Do you really think this is a-a werewolf, Julie?" Edwin grabbed a random object off the mantel over the fireplace, pausing when he saw what it was: a photograph of the day when Remus was born.   
  
"I think it's very possible." Edwin stared at the photo, lost in thought. "Portkey, Edwin." Shaking his head, he cast the Portis spell upon the frame.   
  
Edwin tapped his wand on the frame three times before handing the picture over to the Mediwitch. "It'll activate in one minute." He tucked his wand back into his belt. Without waiting for a reply, he walked over to his wife, who stared at their son with concern.   
  
Madam Julie knelt down beside Remus's stretcher, giving him a small smile of comfort. "Remus, I need you to listen to everything that I say and do as I tell you, understand?" Remus hesitated a moment before giving a slight nod. "Good. Now, you see this picture here? It's of you when you were just a baby. I need you to hold onto this picture without letting go, okay? Because if you let go, we'll lose the picture and your parents will be very upset."   
  
Remus gave a small smile along with a slight bob of his head. "M'kay."   
  
"Now, don't worry about anything because your mummy and daddy will be right there with you as will I." Remus nodded slowly.   
  
Julie smiled reassuringly before turning toward Edwin and Amelia. "Now, I need one of us to grab the wolf so that he transports with us. All right?"   
  
Remus turned his head slightly to look at the creature in question, his eyes going wide. He gaped at the wolf before snapping his attention forward. "No."   
  
Julie turned toward him, startled. "No, what?"   
  
"Not going to do anything with that." He clung to the frame tightly as if challenging her to question him, but Edwin stepped forward.   
  
Kneeling beside his stretcher, Edwin looked straight into Remus' eyes. "Remus, I'll make sure that beast doesn't touch you, all right? There's no need to be afraid. We'll be with you the whole way, okay?" Remus' face plainly said that it wasn't okay, however, he nodded slowly. Edwin smiled, ruffling his hair. "That's my boy."   
  
Julie moved the stretcher closer to Remus' own. Edwin checked his watch as everyone watched silently. "Now." Everyone quickly reached out to touch the frame Remus held, Edwin grabbing the paw of the wolf in the process, just as they vanished.   
  
They all appeared in the waiting room of the clinic. The three adults regained their composure as Remus kept his eyes tightly shut, the frame still clutched in his tiny hands. The frame slipped from his hand, clanked against the side of the stretcher, and smashed against the floor. Amelia rushed forward beside the stretcher, placing a gentle hand on Remus's forehead. "He's shaking like mad and he's suddenly gone hot. He wasn't like this before. Julie, what's wrong with him?"   
  
"Blood loss, he's in shock. There's no time to waste. I'll have to get to work immediately." Julie moved Remus and the stretcher into another room. Edwin walked after Julie only to have her shake her head 'no' vehemently. "Edwin. Stay here; I need to work alone." Edwin moved to object, but the Mediwitch repeated her words. "Wait here, Edwin. I can't have you distracting me while I work. That goes for you too, Amelia." Edwin and Amelia looked at each other with anxious glances as Julie and their son disappeared behind the only barrier separating them.   
  


  
The sun had long since risen and the moon had long since set, but the Lupins had just barely drifted off to sleep when Julie finally came out of the room. At the sound of the door shutting softly, Edwin forced his eyes open, sitting up quickly when he saw Julie. His sudden movement roused Amelia up as well, momentarily confused.   
  
"How is he?" Amelia asked, her bottom lip trembling in anticipation.   
  
"He's sleeping. The bite didn't do any permanent damage to his leg other than a nasty scar …" Julie's voice trailed off; she was unable to look the couple in the eye.   
  
"But…" Edwin continued for her hesitantly.   
  
"But… I have no doubt in my mind that that was no ordinary wolf that bit your son. It was a werewolf, and it did indeed pass the curse on to your son."   
  
"S-so, Remus is a werewolf?" Amelia asked faintly, trying to remain calm.   
  
"Yes, but that's not all. Remus is able to heal himself unnaturally fast. Even without my healing techniques the wounds on his leg are already healed. You could even take him home this morning without any worries--"   
  
"Can we?" Amelia interrupted.   
  
"But I wouldn't recommend it." Julie continued with a hard voice. "I have flooed the Ministry of Magic. The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures will be here to see about the werewolf," She paused, "and your son."   
  
"What?" Edwin bellowed.   
  
Amelia laid a gentle hand on her husband's arm, turning toward the Mediwitch. "Why?"   
  
Without answering, Julie turned and retreated back into her patient's room. Amelia raced forward, grabbing Julie by the forearm, her grip tight. "I asked a question. Why did you call the Ministry to come get my son?"   
  
Looking over her shoulder only slightly, Julie looked past the couple as if they weren't there. "I didn't call the Ministry to come get your son. I called the Ministry to come get the werewolf. They asked why and how we caught it. I had to tell them, and that's what they told me, that they were coming and expecting to return to the Ministry with Remus."   
  
Amelia let go of Julie's arm, shaking her head in disbelief. Edwin stepped forward. "Amelia," he said softly, but she wouldn't look at him. "Amelia, look at me" he repeated, this time using his free hand to cup her face. "I won't let anything happen to Remus. I promise." She looked at him without a response. She shook her head slowly. "Listen to me, Amelia. I'm not going to let anything happen. I'm going to try to contact Dippet. Then we can--"   
  
"Dippet? What can he do?" Amelia asked in a small voice.   
  
Edwin gave a small smile. "A lot more then you and me put together, that's for sure." He leaned down, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek, before looking her in the eye. "Don't fret; I'll be back as soon as I can."   
  
She didn't answer, but nodded her head furiously in agreement. Biting the inside of her cheek, Amelia watched silently as Edwin Apparated away. She turned toward the Mediwitch. "Can I see him?"   
  
"Of course," Julie answered quickly, gesturing toward the door. "He's not awake yet, but I'm sure your presence will calm him." Julie watched as Amelia entered the room, taking the chair by the bed. Closing the door at the sight, the Mediwitch left the room for her office, giving mother and child their privacy.   
  


  
It was half past noon when Edwin Apparated back into the magical clinic. He expected to be greeted by his wife or the Mediwitch, but neither was there. Edwin walked through the abandoned health care centre, the silence unnerving. He entered his son's room only to find it empty. His heart dropped with worry as he spotted Nylon perched on the windowsill, a letter attached to his leg. Edwin quickly crossed the room as the bird blinked up at him. He gave a small hoot and stuck out his leg, allowing Edwin to untie the letter when he got close enough.   
  
Edwin skimmed the letter quickly. Spitting out a quick 'damn', he whipped out his wand and Apparated on the spot. He reappeared in the middle of the Main Lobby, quickly sprinting toward the lift and only pausing to thrust his wand into the inspector's hand and to get it back. He clenched his fist as he waited impatiently; the lift stopped at what felt like every floor. He was already heading out of the lift as it stopped on his floor, the doors barely starting to open. He rushed by several Ministry Officials, all of whom gave him dirty looks.   
  
"Mr. Lupin?" The secretary called out as Edwin rushed forward. "Down the corridor and to the right, room three-double zero-four. Your wife is waiting for you."   
  
Edwin gave a nod of acknowledgment in her direction before heading down the hall. A cold feeling quickly swept through his veins. He could see the picture signs of dark creatures, which hung above the doors, his heart dropping with each one. The numbers printed across the doors in big bold letters rose with each room he passed. Edwin kept his eyes on the doorknob as he came to Room 3004, refusing to look at the sign hanging overhead.   
  
His wife sat in a chair with three Ministry Officials towering over her. He could hear her muttering to them as he came in. "There's got to be something we can--Edwin!" She jumped up from the chair and wrapped her arms around him.   
  
"What's happened?"   
  
"They won't let us see him, as simple as that. They just won't let us see him." Amelia shook her head in disbelief, her eyes looking strangely dead.   
  
"Why not?" He moved his gaze from Amelia to the Ministry Officials.   
  
"They wouldn't tell me, not until you got here. That's what they said." She gazed toward the floor as if she didn't believe her own words.   
  
"Well?" He looked at the three officials, examining them for the first time. The one closest to him stood two heads shorter than Edwin. He was puffed up with importance, however. He had dark rimmed glasses and greying dark blonde hair along with a thin moustache. The middle official stood about as tall as Edwin with a big build. His long dark brown hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail and his long goatee was braided; he held a pipe in his mouth that he puffed on every so often. The farthest from him was a woman who stood shorter then the second man but taller then the first. Her short golden brown hair was tucked behind her ears; her puffy red lips gave off a cruel smile.   
  
The short man straightened his grey robes, cleared his throat, before addressing him. "Lorcan Kennedy. I'm one of the officials in charge of the case involving the werewolf."   
  
"My son, you mean?" Edwin's voice was hard.   
  
"He's no more your son any more than he is mine." The woman interjected as she stepped forward, a badge shining brightly across her pale purple dress robes reading ' Reilly, Treasa.' "He's been transformed into a monster. He may have been your son twenty-four hours ago, but I can assure you, he isn't anymore."   
  
"Where is he?" Edwin tried his hardest to ignore the woman's comments. He put a hand on his wife's shoulder to silently calm her.   
  
"He was your only son, yes?" Reilly asked as she circled them, her eyes looking them up and down as if examining her prey. "And he had no sisters, if I remember correctly?" She looked at them with stormy grey eyes. "Stop me if I'm wrong." Edwin looked down at his wife, catching her eye. Neither of them was going to say anything.   
  
Kennedy snorted. "Seems you scared them good, Reilly. They won't even answer your questions." She smirked at his comment, taking a step toward the couple.   
  
"Perhaps, but I still want answers—"   
  
"Reilly." The tall man spoke softly in a deep voice, making Reilly start. "Don't." She turned around to face him, hands on hips. He stepped forward as if to take her place in examining them before taking the pipe out of his mouth. "You wish to see your son?"   
  
"Yes." the couple chorused.   
  
"Even though he is a werewolf?"   
  
"Yes."   
  
"Do you realize what this changes?"   
  
"I do," Amelia said, standing up straight to look the man in the eye. "It changes nothing."   
  
"It changes everything," the man said in a hard voice. He took a long puff of the pipe before giving them a hard stare. "It'll change your lives. It'll change your son. And it'll change you."   
  
"It might change us," Edwin said, matching his voice level, "but it won't change what we feel for him."   
  
"It doesn't matter what you feel for him. It matters what he feels for himself." He stuck the pipe back in his mouth. "You'd be helping him by giving him silver, but I can tell you won't do that. You want to see your son? Let's go."   
  
"Prewett!" Reilly shrieked in shock. "That child's a monster!"   
  
"He's their son--they'll take care of him. He's their monster now." He led them through the door to the left of where they'd entered. Reilly and Kennedy looked at each other in disgust before following him out in a proper manner with the Lupins on their tail. They appeared in a long dark corridor with seemingly no end and with no windows or doors on either wall. They walked in silence, Reilly's heels clinking against the stone floor.   
  
Prewett walked up to a cracked brick along the wall, knocking his fist against it. Shaking his head, he walked forward to the next cracked brick on the other side of the wall, knocking again, He went to the next one just ahead, knocking against it; a '_thonk_' sound echoed through the corridor.   
  
"Here we are," he said simply, whipping out his wand. He tapped it twice; gold and silver sparks shot from the tip. The brick shivered and disappeared, then the bricks around it followed its example until an archway appeared. A faint glow of firelight emitted from the room as they entered. There were already two men present in the room, both of whom were leaning over something or someone—   
  
"_Remus!_" Amelia gasped as she pushed past the men, to kneel by her son.   
  
"Mum!" Remus cried as he was swept into a huge hug.   
  
"Prewett!" the first of the two men barked. Edwin studied the man who had spoken. He was a short, chubby man with receding salt and pepper hair. Edwin was sure that he knew him from somewhere. "What is the meaning of this?"   
  
"Edwin and Amelia Lupin." The chubby official kept a blank face. "The young child's parents."   
  
"And by whose authority have they been brought in here?" Edwin heard the door open once again behind him, but he kept his eyes pinned on the official apparently in charge.   
  
"This is their son," Prewett said in a hard voice. "They have the right to see him."   
  
"And you don't have the right to stop them, Horus." The chubby man gasped as his eyes shot toward the door. Edwin followed his gaze, confusion immediately filling him at the sight of his old Transfiguration Professor instead of the Headmaster.   
  
"Albus!" Horus gasped.   
  
"It's been a long time. Since the fall of Grindelwald if I remember correctly." Dumbledore greeted everyone pleasantly.   
  
Horus looked at the Hogwarts Professor, his nerve starting to waver. "Yes, I believe you are correct. After that, you went off to teach at Hogwarts and I went into the Ministry." He puffed out his chest with a proud grin. "You're still not Headmaster? What a shame."   
  
Dumbledore seemed unfazed by his words. "And you, Horus: Head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures and on your way to becoming Minister of Magic. Quite a lot you've done since our last meeting. I just never imagined you as the type of man to use his power for his own selfish ends."   
  
"Selfish ends!?" cried Horus in outrage. "Trying to get rid of the werewolf population is selfish!?"   
  
"When it involves a young boy's life, yes." Dumbledore said, his voice now holding no sign of its previous pleasantness.   
  
The Ministry official straightened out his cloak, his eyes toward the ground as he spoke. "That is no longer a boy: he is a beast. A monster. An evil creature. No matter what you call him, it's all the same. And nothing that you say will change my decision. That thing needs to be killed before it grows and kills us all."   
  
"If you'd just give him a chance, Horus, you would see that not all werewolves are evil."   
  
"That's preposterous!"   
  
"Look at him." Dumbledore gestured toward Amelia and Remus. "Does he look dangerous to you?" He walked across the room to stand beside Amelia, giving the young boy a reassuring smile before turning back to the Ministry employee. "As the boy grows, won't he learn as well? Can't he learn how to be normal instead of a vengeful werewolf? If we treat him with hate, he will only know hate. If we treat him with love, he will only know love. Don't you agree, Horus?"   
  
Prewett stepped forward. "After all, I've studied werewolves for many years. Usually they're so bitter and vengeful that most claim not to care if they've killed or bitten anyone. They say that their victims probably deserved it. I remember one case where a man had been bitten at age twenty-three. He'd been shunned and hated ever since. Not a spark of humanity left in him. Nothing to do except put him down. He had been engaged at the time and he lost his fiancée. It's because of hate that werewolves grow up with hate, and I tell you that Remus's parents love him very much. Maybe there is a chance for young Remus here."   
  
There was a long pause. "So, what is your decision, Horus?" Dumbledore's soft voice questioned. "Shall we see together if a boy can live normally twenty-eight days out of the month, only being separated from the other people when the moon is full?"   
  
Horus gave everyone in the room a disgusted look. His narrowed eyes landed on Remus, and he made a noise of revulsion before stalking out of the room with Reilly, Kennedy, and the other official at his heels.   
  
Dumbledore's eyes glittered with delight as the door shut behind them. "Ah, Gideon Prewett, I never would have believed I'd see the day. You were always so loyal to the Ministry."   
  
Prewett smiled stiffly. "I know when the Ministry is in the wrong. If the Lupins didn't love their son as much as they do, I would have let Horus do whatever he wanted with him. It would have been better for the bloke. I don't know what it's like to be a werewolf, but what I said was true. They grow resentful when they're shunned like they are, and that's part of the reason they're a danger: they think that's the only way out."   
  
Dumbledore nodded in agreement, "We're all grateful that you stepped in when you did." Prewett gave a curt nod.   
  
Dumbledore turned his gaze to the Lupins as Edwin took his place beside his wife. "Edwin Lupin, has it really been so long? Well, you've raised yourself nicely from the troublesome schoolboy I used to have to put up with."   
  
"Thank you, sir." Edwin paused. "For everything. If they had tried to take my son, I think--no, I know I would have duelled every single one of them before giving him up. I'm quite surprised though, sir. I _had_ called for Headmaster Dippet."   
  
Dumbledore nodded. "I'm afraid to say that the Headmaster found other matters more pressing and wished to take care of those first." He gave a comforting smile, turning his eyes toward Amelia. "And Amelia James, always second best and always frustrated by that fact if I remember."   
  
"You remember. I always did find that quite unnerving." Amelia said with a small laugh. "I must thank you as well. You saved my son's life, and there isn't anything else that can compare to that. You are truly a great man and wizard, everyone should be able to see that."   
  
Dumbledore smiled kindly. "I didn't do it, Amelia." His eyes twinkled merrily. "It was the love that you and your husband share for your son." Dumbledore let his eyes travel from her to the small form in her arms. Remus's eyes were large with awe. "And as for you, young Master Lupin," Remus looked around as if to make sure that the silvery-haired wizard wasn't speaking to someone else, "I'll be sure to keep a close eye on you for I perceive great things from you."   
  
**_End of Chapter One_**


	2. Chapter One: A New Life

**Disclaimer:** I do not own JKR's beautiful work, for if I did I would be selling it to a publisher instead of posting it here. No offence intended of course.   
  
**Summary:** Remus Lupin was once a normal boy, but one fateful night changed all of that.   
  
**Author's Note:** I would just like to thank my awesome Beta Ozma who helped me sort out Remus Lupin's half-blood past, and deciding that he was a half-blood the same way that Harry was. Thanks so much!   
  


From Monster To Moony   
Chapter One: A New Life

  
  
It had been six long years since the Lupins had last heard Dumbledore's kind words of wisdom. Six long years since the night of the full moon when the werewolf had bitten Remus Lupin. Six long years since they had seen their little Muggle cottage.   
  
The Lupin family had been on a long journey, all across Europe. They'd visited Healer after Healer, seeking a cure for Remus. It did not matter how many times Amelia and Edwin were told that there was no cure for their son's condition. They refused to accept defeat.   
  
Edwin and Amelia's sole mission in life was to help their son by stopping his curse. Remus did not deserve this torture. They were determined not to rest until they'd found a cure. The thought of abandoning their quest never crossed their minds.   
  
Amelia held out an old glass bottle that had been charmed earlier that day to activate as a Portkey and send them all to Spain. She looked around the empty room. "Edwin! Remus! Get in here. The Portkey is going to activate soon."   
  
"Do we have to go?" Remus sighed as he threw down his bag that was packed with clothes.   
  
Started, Amelia looked up. "What do you mean, Remus? Of course we have to go! It's a miracle that they agreed to see us in the first place. We can't pass up this opportunity. They may know something--"   
  
"Like what?" Remus asked, staring at his hands which were clenched in determination. "That there's no cure? Or that the only way to get rid of this curse is to 'put me down'?"   
  
"Remus…" Amelia reached out to embrace her son, but he pulled away fiercely. "We'll find a way to get rid of this, my little prince, I know we will--"   
  
"No we won't! We never will! And I'm tired of searching for something we'll never find. I just… I just want to go _home_." He didn't care that their home was wherever they were at that moment. He could see his _old_ home clear in his mind. Their old little cottage, the valley that they'd lived in, where each tree stood, and the creek… he'd always missed the creek the most. "Home…" he moaned as he leaned against the opposite wall and slid down into a sitting position.   
  
"Home," repeated Amelia as she set down the Portkey. "Is that all you want?" Her voice was soft and apologetic, filled with dawning realization.   
  
"Yes," he whispered.   
  
"Then a home you will have."   
  
Remus looked up at her hesitantly.   
  
"Maybe not our old one, but one just as good. Maybe even better."   
  
"With a creek?"   
  
"Yes, with a creek and trees. It'll be low in a valley, surrounded by hills and grass… I've got to tell Edwin our change in plans." She paused in mid-step to smile at her son sadly and kiss him on the forehead. "We're going to go home soon, my little prince, and we'll never leave."   
  


  
"Dad? Where are we going?" Remus asked as he waited for his father to give the cue to grab hold of the Portkey.   
  
"Our new home." Edwin gave his son a pointed look. He glanced down at his watch.   
  
"Yeah, I get that, but _where is it?_"   
  
"You'll just have to wait and see." Amelia reached over Remus, checking his luggage. "Everyone ready?"   
  
Edwin and Remus nodded in reply.   
  
"Do we have everything? Clothes? Shoes? Toothbrush? Hand towels--"   
  
Edwin put a comforting hand on Amelia's arm.   
  
"We have everything. Stop fretting."   
  
Amelia opened her mouth to say something, but closed it smartly. Edwin and Remus shared a look of relief as the elder Lupin looked down at his watch. "Now."   
  
Remus placed the tips of his fingers on the coke bottle and instantly felt a familiar tug at his navel. His feet stumbled under him, having felt the return quicker then his brain could process. His father reached out and steadied him.   
  
"All right, there?"   
  
Remus nodded.   
  
"Good. Now look behind you."   
  
Remus nearly hesitated, but the curious part of him made him swing around to stare at his new home. "Wow," was the only thing he could think to say.   
  
He saw a greyish-blue house with grey-trimmed windows and maroon shutters. Directly above the white-painted front door was a balcony, flanked on either side by windows. The house rested between green hills with a scattering of trees, just as his mother had described it.   
  
"Wow," he repeated.   
  
"Isn't it lovely?" Amelia asked as she walked toward the house. "It was-- well, you tell it, Edwin."   
  
"It was my grandparents' house long ago. Ever since they died, it's been empty."   
  
"Weren't they Muggles like Mum's parents?" Edwin nodded, beaming with pride. "So the only thing we'll need to worry about are cats, rats, and dust?"   
  
"Just about." Edwin put a hand on Remus's shoulder and began to steer him toward the house. "Now, come on. Tour time." Amelia was already fiddling with a key to get it into the lock.   
  
Edwin rolled his eyes as he pulled out his wand, "_Aloho--_"   
  
"Got it!" Amelia shot Edwin a smug look as she pushed open the door only to be welcomed by a cloud of dust. Remus scrunched up his nose and sneezed quietly.   
  
"This place needs a quick clean. _Scour--_"   
  
"Don't even think about it, Edwin. We are in a Muggle house, we'll do things the Muggle way."   
  
"Amelia," protested Edwin, "When you came of age, you didn't continue to do things the Muggle way--"   
  
"Yes, I did." Amelia gave Edwin a piercing glare. "I'm quite proud of my Muggle heritage, thank you very much. And you should be too."   
  
"I am, but--"   
  
"So we'll find our rooms first, and then we'll--"   
  
"This house is so big--"   
  
"Start downstairs. I'll get the buckets and mops--"   
  
"It'll take all winter to clean this house--"   
  
"I don't want to use our new towels, so I'll search the cupboard for some rags—"   
  
"A quick Scourgify Charm could take care of all of this mess—"   
  
"No," Amelia said firmly, finally acknowledging Edwin's interruptions, "we are going to start our new life in a new home on a different note. A Muggle note for our Muggle home." She took a deep breath. "Well, let's go. We have much to do. So, where are the bedrooms, Edwin?"   
  
He sighed. "Upstairs, Amelia."   
  
She gave him a look.   
  
"My grandparents had the room on the left and my father's room was the one at the end of the corridor."   
  
"Thank you. Edwin, I'll go tidy up our room. Could you go with Remus to help with his?" Edwin nodded. "Great. This house will be as good as new in no time."   
  
Remus and Edwin raised a sceptical eyebrow at each other as Amelia bustled off. Shaking his head, Edwin swung Remus's travel bag over his shoulder. "Come along, Rem, let's get you settled in."   
  
Remus followed Edwin through the house, leaving footprints on the dusty floor. They walked up the stairs, being sure not to touch the grimy banister. Edwin made a disgusted noise as he emerged on the second floor, and Remus had to agree.   
  
There were spider webs in every corner and a few rats scampered away at their entrance. Edwin muttered something about "mad women" and "no magic" before carefully leading Remus down the corridor to the lone mahogany door. Edwin twisted the knob and the door opened with a _click!_   
  
The room was painted in a pale yellow with black trim around the door and windows. Setting his travel bag on the bed, Remus raised a questioning eyebrow at his father. "What's with all the yellow and black? Was he a Wasps fan?"   
  
"Well, yes, but that's not why the wall is yellow. My father's parents painted this room the minute they heard what house he was in. They were so proud to have a wizard in the family that they wanted to do something special for him."   
  
"I didn't know he was a Hufflepuff like you, Dad." Remus said, surprised, as he walked over to the window. "I'd always assumed that he was a Ravenclaw like Mum and Grandmother."   
  
"No, he was a true Hufflepuff just like me." Edwin smiled sadly at the thought of his father.   
  
"So all the Lupin men have been in Hufflepuff and all the Lupin women in Ravenclaw?"   
  
Edwin chuckled. "Yes, though the Lupin name doesn't go that far back. Maybe you'll break that tradition and become a Ravenclaw like your mother."   
  
"Or I could be a Slytherin or even a Gryffindor. Then I'd really be breaking the tradition." Remus grinned, looking out the window. All he saw were more acres of grass and trees. He squinted through the foliage, "Hey, Dad. What is that there?"   
  
Coming up to stand beside his son, Edwin looked where he was pointing. "Oh, that's a creek."   
  
Remus looked up in surprise.   
  
"It runs into a lake about two miles from here. I could take you to see it if you like?" Remus nodded quickly, trying to suppress the grin that was surfacing. "All right then, I will. For now, though, lets get this room cleaned. You wouldn't tell your mother if I used a little magic, would you?"   
  
Remus shook his head and Edwin grinned. "_Scourgify!_"   
  


  
The summer had caught up with them very quickly. Edwin had been right when he'd predicted that setting the house to rights would take the Lupins all winter, even with the few magical shortcuts that Edwin had contributed. Now they were working on the back garden that Amelia had always dreamed of having. Whenever Edwin was away on business (he'd gone back to work at the Ministry shortly after the Lupins had settled in,) it was Remus's job to pull out the weeds.   
  
"My little prince, I was just about to call you in for lunch. Have you finished the weeding?"   
  
Remus only nodded tiredly.   
  
"Good! I was hoping we could go greet the Brookes after lunch."   
  
"The Brookes?"   
  
"Yes. They've just moved into the house a mile down. They're our closest neighbours, we might as well say hello."   
  


  
Nearly an hour later, Amelia and Remus were walking up the lane toward a house similar to theirs, painted in cream. Amelia smoothed out her Muggle blouse and rapped her knuckles against the door three times. Remus could hear a set of hurried footsteps coming toward them from inside the house. The door opened to reveal a pleasantly smiling woman.   
  
She had glasses perched on her freckled nose. Her thick curly brown hair was threatening to escape from its worn barrette to fall into her eyes. But the first thing that Amelia and Remus noticed was her belly. It was extremely round, and the woman had her hand resting on it, protectively. Remus concluded that she was a few months pregnant.   
  
"Hello, you must be the Lupins," she said with a bit of a Russian accent, "I'm so glad to meet you. My daughter and I were planning to visit you today. Come on in."   
  
Amelia smiled, pleased to meet someone so polite.   
  
"I'm Natalya, by the way," the woman said as she led Amelia and Remus into the kitchen.   
  
"I'm Amelia and this is my son, Remus."   
  
Natalya motioned for them to sit. "Amelia, can I get you anything? Milk? Tea? What about you, Remus?"   
  
Remus shook his head as Amelia said, "Tea would be lovely, thank you."   
  
Natalya reached under the sink, pulling out some Muggle appliances, to find a kettle. Filling the kettle with water, she set it on the stove. Then, walking to the kitchen doorway, she called into the house, "Cassi! The Lupins are here. Why don't you come down here to meet them?"   
  
"They're here?" a high-pitched voice answered from somewhere in the house. A pair of running footsteps that sounded similar to those he had heard before soon followed the voice.   
  
"Ah, here she is." Natalya stepped out of the doorway just as a young girl came to a skidding halt. "Amelia, Remus, this is my daughter Cassiel. Cassiel, this is Amelia and her son, Remus."   
  
Like her mother, Cassi wore glasses and had freckles, but her hair was black and straight, pulled back into a pair of braids much neater than Natalya's brown curls. She also appeared to be, Remus noted, a bit younger then himself.   
  
"Hi," she grinned, "it's very nice to meet you."   
  
"Oh! What wonderful manners." Amelia gave Remus a look as he very determinedly studied the design on the table. "It's very nice to meet you too, Cassiel."   
  
"My mother and I were going to come visit you today, did she tell you? She started feeling sick, though, so we decided to wait. It's very lucky we decided to wait or else we would have met each other halfway. Isn't that quite the luck?" She had said all of his very quickly. Her voice had the same accent as her mother's, but there was more of a mix in there. Remus could tell that her accent wasn't only Russian but a mixture of cultures.   
  
"Yes, that is quite the luck."   
  
Remus shifted nervously as an awkward silence fell over them. Natalya giggled uncomfortably before nodding toward her daughter. "Cassi, why don't you show Remus your room?"   
  
"Erm—yeah. Okay." Cassiel waved for Remus to follow before skipping out of the kitchen. He shot his mother a look as she nodded to him in encouragement. Shrugging indifferently, he stood up and quickly followed her up the stairs and into one of the many rooms that were on the second floor of the house.   
  
Inside the room, he was met with a flurry of pale blues, pinks, and yellows. Cassiel ran across the room and leaped onto her bed. She rolled over onto her stomach, facing Remus with a very bemused smile. "What do you think?"   
  
He looked around the room, "It's very… girly."   
  
She giggled. "I am a girl."   
  
"Obviously." Remus paused, studying the boxes of girl-toys and girl-clothes waiting for Cassi to unpack them. "Where did you used to live?" he asked. "Before you came here?"   
  
"Lots of places!" Cassi answered. Apparently unable to remain still for long, she was now bouncing on her bed. "Every three years or so, my mother likes to move or she gets bored. We lived in Russia until I was three, then we moved to France. We stayed there until I was six and then we lived in Germany. Now I'm nine and here we are!"   
  
She bounced from the bed to the floor, landing with a loud thud.   
  
"Cassiel!" Natalya's voice shouted from downstairs. "No jumping!"   
  
"Yes, Mum!" Cassi called back. She grimaced. "I wish she wouldn't call me that even when she's angry," she confided to Remus. "She _could_ call me Cassi or Felicia or Renee or even Brooke... my full name is Cassiel Felicia Renee Brooke; everyone in our family has two middle names, it's sort of a tradition..."   
  
"Cassi," Remus interrupted her, it seemed the only way for him to get a word in, "you've really lived in all those places?" He could not help thinking about the years his family had spent going from Healer to Healer, all across Europe. He felt an unexpected kinship with his new neighbour. "Do you know all those languages?"   
  
"Sort of," she said slowly, "I can understand more French, Russian and German than I speak. I've been speaking English since I was a baby though!"   
  
"Me too." Remus agreed, smiling. "My family used to move around a lot too before we came here."   
  
"How long have you been here?"   
  
Remus hesitated. "Since last winter. We basically just decided one night that we were tired of moving."   
  
Cassiel looked down at her hands slowly. "Remus?"   
  
"Hmmm?"   
  
"Can you be my friend? I've never had a true friend before."   
  
"Sure, Cassi. Just as long as you're my friend too."   
  
"Deal."   
  


  
Remus lay in bed staring at the ceiling. His whole body ached from the June full moon and all he wanted to do was sleep. He even ignored the _TAP! TAP!_ that came from his window that morning just to lay in. His transformation in the basement the night before hadn't been as bad as it could have been, but it could have definitely been better. Remus was just glad to have most of the bandages off by now.   
  
He yawned as he sat up, being sure to move carefully. Slowly, he stood and walked to the bathroom. The mirror above the sink wasn't the type of mirror that he was used to. It didn't talk back to him, giving him compliments or criticisms; it just hung there on the wall, as silent as ever. He still saw his reflection, though, no matter how unsatisfying it was.   
  
This morning, his reflection looked as horrid as ever. His eyes had thick, dark bags under them, making him look as if he'd been punched in both eyes. His skin was unhealthy and pale, the sort of white that you usually got from being ill and not eating anything for several days. The worst part of his reflection were the newly obtained cuts and bruises.   
  
Neither of his parents were especially good at healing, so they usually couldn't do much except let them heal naturally. Remus didn't mind since they usually didn't hurt anyway; he just wished they didn't look so nasty. Even the very small scrapes looked horrid to him as he gazed in the mirror. This was the first time he'd been able to examine what damage the wolf had caused him since he had been in bed all day yesterday.   
  
Remus washed his face, attempting not only wake up, but to make himself look a little more presentable. The latter didn't work. Sighing, Remus slowly dragged his feet back into his own room and changed out of his nightclothes.   
  
He was making his way downstairs when he became aware of a feeling of tension in the house. Silently, he crept down the last few stairs, praying that his parents hadn't got into an argument over something.   
  
Remus strained his ears, listening for a scrap of conversation from the kitchen, but the tension he could sense was of the silent kind. Taking a deep breath, Remus pushed open the kitchen door.   
  
Both of his parents were sitting at the table, staring—no, glaring—at each other with a letter between them. When he entered the room, Amelia promptly stood, greeted him with a (fake) smile and turned toward the stove where she busied herself with breakfast. Edwin, on the other hand, didn't seem to want to hide the fact that something was wrong as he continued to scowl at the spot where his wife had been sitting moments ago.   
  
"What's wrong?" Remus asked attentively.   
  
"Nothing," Amelia answered quickly, "why would anything be wrong?"   
  
"Amelia—"   
  
"Be quiet, Edwin. We'll discuss this in private," she hissed. Remus frowned at his parents. He'd never known them to be so hostile toward each other. They bickered all the time (he actually found it amusing at times), but now they actually seemed to be in a true argument.   
  
"As long as we do _discuss_ it." Edwin said through gritted teeth. He stood from the table and swept from the room as Remus stared after him.   
  
He opened his mouth to ask what was going on again, but thought better of it. After all, he was pretty sure that his mother wouldn't tell him and he'd only end up getting her more upset. Remus took a seat at the table. Right in front of him was the letter he had seen when he first came in. Neither of his parents had picked it up when they had got up from the table.   
  
_So,_ he reasoned, _it must not have anything to do with why they're so angry at each other._ Quietly picking it up, he looked at the address. His eyes went wide.   
  
_

Remus J. Lupin  
Last Bedroom on Second Floor  
St. Moira, Gwent

_  
  
Wondering why neither of his parents had told him that he had a letter, Remus turned it over in his hand only to see that _somebody_ had already broken the wax seal. He reached into the envelope to pull out the letter when it was abruptly ripped out of his hands.   
  
"Hey!" he cried as he looked up at his mother who had one hand on her hip while the other grasped _his_ letter. "That's mine. It has my name on it."   
  
"Remus," she said sternly, "go outside and play. _Now._"   
  
"But that's my letter!"   
  
"Remus, do as you're told."   
  
Remus looked at his mother pleadingly, hoping that she'd change her mind, but she just stared back, challenging him to defy her.   
  
"Fine." he snapped. Standing up from the table, he stormed out of the house. Remus sighed loudly as he began to walk up the all too familiar path. He needed to do something to keep his mind off that letter or it was going to drive him crazy. So, instead, he decided he was going to bug somebody else. He'd seen Cassi nearly every day since they'd met each other, but he hadn't seen her for the past two days and he didn't think she'd mind a visit from him.   
  
A man he'd never met before answered Remus's knock on the Brooke's door. He had very straight black hair and looked part Asian. The man's eyes narrowed dangerously when he saw Remus.   
  
"Hello," he hissed.   
  
Remus gulped unconsciously. "Er—hello. C-can Cassi come out?"   
  
The man studied him, "You Remus?"   
  
Remus nodded. The man made a quick motion with his hand. Remus flinch. When he regained his senses, he saw that the man had only stuck his hand out, waiting for a handshake. Smiling weakly, Remus took his hand, which he regretted a moment later. The man's grip was very tight and it almost felt like it would break his hand.   
  
"Name's Devlin. I'm Cassiel's father. She's up in her room with her mother. Ya' can go meet her if ya' wish."   
  
Unlike both Natalya and Cassi's voices, his was sharp and each sentence ended with a strong syllable. After his last word, he released Remus's hand. Remus smiled at him quickly before ducking inside and running up the stairs to Cassi's room. He really didn't feel like being in the company of that man longer then was needed.   
  
He caught his breath outside her bedroom door before quietly knocking. Someone from inside said, "Come in."   
  
Remus silently stepped into the room to find Mrs. Brooke brushing Cassi's hair. "Wow," he blurted out, "you have really long hair." That she did. Her black hair was pulled out of her usual bun and fell down to just about her waist.   
  
Cassi giggled. "Mum says by the time I'm fourteen, my hair will go past my thighs."   
  
"That's if she takes care of it," Natalya added, her back to Remus, as she began to pull all of it out of Cassi's face.   
  
"I plan on growing it all the way past my feet! Just like Repunzel!"   
  
"Who?"   
  
Cassi looked at him shocked. "You don't know who Repunzel is?"   
  
He shook his head slowly.   
  
"You know: '_Repunzel, Repunzel, let down your long hair so I may climb your golden stair!_'"   
  
"Er—" Remus said as she looked at him expectantly, "right! I remember now. Repunzel with the long hair…"   
  
Remus knew that he shouldn't lie, but he didn't know if this Repunzel person was known among _all_ Muggle children or just children from a certain country. Cassi, however, seemed satisfied either way.   
  
Her mother pushed one more pin through her hair before wiping her hands and announcing that she was done. She turned around, her eyes widening slightly when she caught sight of him. "Remus, what happened to you? You're all scratched up and bruised!"   
  
He felt his stomach drop slightly at her sudden question. He swallowed before choking out, "Fell out of a tree. Got scraped up a bit. That's all."   
  
She gave him a questioning look as she nodded her head slowly. "All right. You two and go out and do whatever now. Just don't get dirty or into trouble!" she warned them before they tore out of the house, passing Cassi's father along the way who nodded stiffly to the two children.   
  
"Thank goodness!" Cassi cried as she leapt off of the porch, stumbling as she landed at the bottom. Once she had regained her footing, she giggled, "I was _so_ bored. I was about to _die._ You _saved_ me, Remus."   
  
Remus rolled his eyes at her dramatics as he calmly walked down the steps. "Are you in my debt now?"   
  
"No." she said simply. "So, I see you met my father?"   
  
"Yeah. Kind of scary, if you ask me."   
  
Cassi shook her head. "You just have to get to know him. He's really cool and fun. He taught me how to play hop-scotch."   
  
"Hop-_what?_"   
  
"Hop-_scotch_. It's really easy. Watch." She grabbed a stick and began to dig it into the earth.   
  
Remus watched her only halfway paying attention as she explained why she was drawing ten blocks. He nodded every once in a while to show that he was listening, but his mind was back on the letter. It didn't go very far though since he had no idea who it was from. He couldn't even see what the seal was since it already had been broken. He had no clue, and it didn't look as if his parents were too keen on telling him about it anytime soon. He had never received a letter in his life. At first he had been too young and then the bite sort of just blocked off all forms of communication. Every letter they had ever received had been for his parents.   
  
Remus sighed as he tried to shake these thoughts out of his head and refocus on what Cassi was saying.   
  
"…and then you pick up the rock and hop back!" She smiled at him. "Get it?"   
  
"Er—"   
  
"Here. Let me do a demonstration." She picked up a stone from the ground and tossed it before hopping along the path of blocks.   
  
He really didn't see the reason why she threw the rock other then to pick it up on the way back, but since he wanted to look like he had been listening he nodded in understanding, "Ah."   
  
"You try." She handed the stone to him and he looked at it.   
  
Shrugging, he tossed it and it landed on—_when did she number the blocks?_—the block numbered eight. He looked at the path and gave her a pained look, but she just waved him on. He hopped with one foot onto the first block and slowly made his way down the path like she had. When he hopped onto the eighth block, however, he heard her call out.   
  
"You lose! You hopped onto the block that your stone fell on."   
  
"Oh," Remus said trying to sound disappointed, "I forgot."   
  
"That's okay. Let's try again!"   
  
He looked at her and sighed.   
  
He lost the next few games from spacing out or toppling over when he was standing on one foot. By the time he had become pretty good at it, he was just losing on purpose to amuse Cassi who would squeal with delight each time Remus messed up. He knew that she was happy because she'd won, not because he'd messed up. However, either way, he found her reactions much more amusing then this hoppity-hoppity game.   
  
"Oh, Remus!" she cried suddenly actually making Remus start and fall over. She giggled. "Whoops! Anyway, Remus, I just had a really good idea."   
  
"Yeah?" He stood up from the ground, dusting himself off, as he looked at her expectantly. Anything had to better then hopping up and down a path all day long.   
  
"Let's go to the lake!"   
  
Remus gave her an odd look. "Why? Neither of us is dressed to swim."   
  
"Not to swim, silly, to make our own picnic area. So that next summer it will look perfect and we won't have to do anything to make it look good."   
  
"What do you mean?"   
  
Cassi sighed. "C'mon!" She ran inside her house with him right behind her. She ran up to her dad with Remus hanging back a bit. "Dad! Dad! I just had a really good idea."   
  
"Let's hear it then." he said in the same stiff voice, though the look on his face did seem kinder toward his daughter.   
  
"I want to decorate the lake!" she squealed.   
  
Devlin looked thoughtful for a moment. "With what?"   
  
"With a little picnic table and an umbrella over it and benches and—and… one of those beds that tie to both ends of a tree…"   
  
"A hammock?"   
  
"Yeah! Yeah, one of those. It'll be so cool. Can we? Can we, Dad?" She bounced on her toes in excitement.   
  
Her father considered her for a moment, "I won't be doing all the work?"   
  
"No, sir! Remus and I will be helping." She paused and looked back at Remus, "Er—right, Remus?"   
  
"Yeah, of course." he said quickly, thinking that it did sound rather fun.   
  
Devlin nodded, "All right then. We have ourselves a project. Let's get to work."   
  
He walked toward the back of the house and into the last room. It looked relatively empty except for the cabinets and drawers that lined all four walls. There appeared to be no light, but a moment after Remus thought that, Mr. Brooke leaned over something and pulled away with a fire blazing in the lantern that hung on the wall. He walked over to one of the cabinets and swung it open.   
  
"Hey, you, pipsqueak. Get over here, will ya'?"   
  
Cassi whispered, "He means you."   
  
Remus looked up, startled, as she shoved him toward her father. He stumbled slightly before regaining his stance next to the older man.   
  
"Think you can help me carry some stuff, or will ya' collapse?"   
  
Remus blushed. "I can manage."   
  
"Okay, if ya' say so." He reached into the cabinet and pulled out two big boxes, setting them at his feet. "See if ya can grab one of those."   
  
Remus looked at the boxes before crouching, lifting the first one with ease which surprised him a bit. He had suspected a very heavy box. _Does Mr. Brooke really think I'm that weak?_ Remus set the box back down on top of the other one.   
  
"Is it too much for ya'?" Devlin asked, looking over his shoulder at Remus's movement.   
  
"No, I just wanted to—" He lifted both boxes, having to crane his neck around them to see Mr. Brooke's face which looked rather surprised. "Is there anything else?"   
  
The older man's stone-like expression returned as he pulled out a large sack and swung it onto his shoulder. He waved for Cassi to come over and he handed her a smaller bag. He straightened up, before saying, "If we're ready, let's go."   
  
Remus and Cassi nodded before following him out of the house. The walk to the lake was mostly filled with Cassi's chatter accompanied by Devlin's interrupted comments to Remus every once in a while, "Need any help there?" Every time, Remus said no. Sure, he was beginning to feel the strain in his legs from the constant walking, but the boxes felt fine.   
  
Devlin threw down the bag he had been carrying and walked around, muttering to himself as he examined the area.   
  
Remus scanned the area of the lake himself. He had been here once before with his dad, and it hadn't changed much. Half of the lake was exposed to the sun while the trees growing on the other side shaded the other half. Remus could tell that the best place to swim would be in the middle. But his father had warned him not to even think about swimming in the lake this summer. Edwin had promised that one day he would set charms on the lake so that the water would be clean all year round.   
  
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Devlin look up quickly and nod toward him, "Boy, can you go into that thicket of trees over there and find me about five or six good braches? They don't need to be that long."   
  
Remus nodded slowly before trudging along the shore toward the thicket of trees at the other end of the lake. He passed through the trees until he was surrounded on all sides. He gathered branches until he had about a half dozen of them in his arms. He made his way back out of the thicket and nearly dropped his load when he saw the place he'd been only a short while before.   
  
The area was already clean of any extra twigs or leaves. Devlin had his back to him and seemed to be hunching over something. Cassi was standing beside him, nearly jumping up and down in what looked like excitement. She looked over her shoulder, spotted Remus, and sobered immediately. She tugged on her father's sleeve and he looked over his shoulder as well before nodding stiffly and went back to what he was doing as he tucked something in his coat pocket.   
  
Remus walked up to them slowly, wondering if he was intruding on something, when Devlin looked up quickly and said, "Got the branches, boy? Good. Put them here."   
  
Remus dumped his load where Devlin said to and he watched as Cassi's father began to arrange the sticks into what looked like a campfire. Around the sticks he placed stones as if to keep the circle perfect.   
  
"Ya' place this here," Devlin explain catching Remus's confused glance, "so that when ya' do come here to hang out and it is a bit cold, ya' can light a fire without having to create a whole new campfire." He straightened up, ran a hand through his hair, before turning back to Remus. "Boy, can you head back to our house to get us a pack of water bottles? Not only do we need them for drinking so we don't get dehydrated, but we also need them to mush up this dirt. It's too hard to do anything with. Can ya'?"   
  
Remus nodded before setting off.   
  
The rest of the day was pretty much the same. Instead of helping out, he found himself being sent away to gather things constantly. Each time he returned another portion of the project would be complete. He was quickly getting tired of this and actually wanted to start doing some work.   
  
He was just getting back from fetching Devlin's Muggle toolbox when he noticed the sun sinking toward the horizon. Sighing as he set down the heavy metal red box, Remus wiped his hands on his jeans.   
  
"Don't ya' need to be getting home, pipsqueak?"   
  
Remus resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the comment before replying, "Yes, sir. My parents are probably wondering where I am." He knew that was a lie since his parents knew there were only two places that he could and would go.   
  
"Well, get going then." Devlin said indifferently.   
  
Remus shrugged as he began to walk off. He broke into a run as he heard Cassi shout after him, "Bye, Remus! See you tomorrow!"   
  
Remus dashed as quickly as he could home. He didn't know why he was running; it was almost as if he suddenly found a bunch of energy within himself and was trying to get rid of it. Truth was that he had been rather tired all day, especially with the constant walks back and forth, and now he just wanted to run as quickly as he could.   
  
It was two miles to his house, and the whole time he ran. It wasn't until he had walked into his house's shadow did he realize that his lungs and legs were protesting against this type of work. He stopped on the porch of his house, resting his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.   
  
Gulping back the urge to just fall to sleep right where he was, Remus reached out to open the door when his parents' voices reached his ears. He knew he shouldn't listen in on them, but the urge to wonder if they were talking about the letter made him hesitate. After a moment's thought, he placed his ear against the door to listen in.   
  
"Amelia, please, see reason—"   
  
"I am seeing reason, Edwin. It seems to me like you're the one that is having a problem with that. Don't you understand what could come of this if we were to let him go?"   
  
"Yes, he can finally get an education like a proper wizard—"   
  
"No, don't you see, Edwin? One mistake with the timing, one mistake with the wards and he'll—people will be in danger!"   
  
"Dumbledore is a smart man, Amelia. He wouldn't allow Remus to go to Hogwarts unless he was one hundred percent sure that it was safe. Read the letter, Amelia, he says that everything is already worked out."   
  
"I've read the letter, Edwin." Amelia's voice was now a soft whisper and it sounded as if she had turned away from the door. "More times then you can imagine. I can think of a thousand possible dangers with his plan, though, and that's what scares me."   
  
"He'll have thought of those dangers. You know he would have." Edwin paused and Remus pushed his ear closer to the door as to hear anything if they were whispering. "What's really worrying you?"   
  
Remus crept along the porch as a silence fell between his two parents. He came to the living room window and peeked through it. There he saw his parents. His mother was facing the fire, and though he couldn't see her face, he was sure he was crying, and his father was standing right behind her with one of his hands on her shoulder.   
  
"I'm so afraid he'll learn of the hate, Edwin," Amelia choked out at last, "and I'm so afraid of what will happen when he does learn of that hate."   
  
Remus stepped back from the window and looked at the door. _Hogwarts. I was invited to attend Hogwarts, the most famous wizarding school in the country._ It almost seemed like a dream to him. He remembered Professor Dumbledore quite well, though he didn't remember exactly where they'd met, or when.   
  
_Even if Mum doesn't let me go,_ Remus thought slowly as he gripped the doorknob, _at least I'll know that I was **invited!**_ He smiled to himself as he pushed the door open. His parents had not moved since he'd glimpsed them in the window. Neither of them seemed to have noticed his entrance.   
  
"Hey." Remus was horrified to find his voice almost as choked up as his mother's.   
  
Amelia turned to look at him, but Edwin kept his eyes on his wife. Remus saw him raise his eyebrows in question at her and she sighed. She nodded her head very slightly before sinking down into couch in front of the fire. Edwin continued to watch her for a moment before turning back to Remus.   
  
"Rem," Edwin said slowly, "come sit down."   
  
Remus looked from his mother to his father before walking toward them and settling himself in the big plush chair. Edwin sat across from him, shooting Amelia a nervous look. She didn't look at him.   
  
"What do you know about other people's reaction to w-w-werewolves?"   
  
Remus looked up at his mother as he saw her start. Her eyes went wide as she looked at Edwin in shock. Remus swallowed as he contemplated the answer. This was his chance to show his mother that he didn't care what other people thought of him, but even as he thought this, he knew in his heart of hearts that he did care.   
  
"I-I know that th-they hate them and are afr-fraid of them even when it's not a full moon be-because of what books tell them and what they're t-taught. I-I also know that a-a lot of people are ig-ignorant to some facts about werewolves, but I-I don't care what other people think. I-I only care about what the p-people that I care about think."   
  
Edwin nodded, but Remus wasn't watching for his father's reaction. He was watching for his mother's. She was staring back into the fire with her eyebrows knitted together in deep thought. Finally, she looked up at her son, her eyes shining.   
  
"We don't hate you, Remus, and we aren't afraid of you."   
  
"I know."   
  
"But we… I… may be a bit overprotective. Can you deal with that?"   
  
"Of course."   
  
Amelia smiled as she turned her gaze toward Edwin before nodding. He smiled with a sigh as he took an envelope—the envelope from this morning—out of his pocket.   
  
"I want you to go, but the final decision will be your own, understand?"   
  
Remus nodded as he reached out and grasped the envelope. With a shaky hand, he glanced at the address again before turning it over and pulling out the letter that it held. He had to take a deep, steady breath before unfolding the letter.   
  
_Dear Mr. Lupin,   
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We are aware of your ailment and have made special preparations for you. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl no later than July 31.   
Yours sincerely,   
**Professor M. McGonagall**   
Deputy Headmistress_


	3. Chapter Two: The Cost of the Curse

**Disclaimer:** I do not own JKR's beautiful work, for if I did I would be selling it to a publisher instead of posting it here. No offence intended of course.   
  
**Summary:** Remus Lupin was once a normal boy, but one fateful night changed all of that.   
  
**Author's Notes:** Thanks a whole lot to my wonderful Beta, Ozma. I am really sorry for the wait. My summer has just been super hectic with things going on left and right. I'll try to update more often.   
  


From Monster To Moony: Year One   
Chapter Two: The Cost of the Curse

  
  
Remus stared at the letter that he held in his trembling hands. He blinked rapidly as if expecting the words to change. He looked up at his parents, both of whom were watching for his reaction.   
  
He opened his mouth to say, "_Yes, I want to go,_" but the words were lost halfway out of his mouth. Instead he blurted out, "Honestly?"   
  
Remus's father chuckled, "Honestly."   
  
He tried to say yes again, but this time the words didn't come out at all. He just stared at the letter in awe. He looked up when he felt a hand on his shoulder and blinked in surprise. He hadn't even heard his mother stand.   
  
"Do you want to go, my little prince?"   
  
"YES!" Remus cried a lot louder than he had intended. He cleared his throat. "I mean, yes."   
  
"Are you sure?" Amelia asked, unable to keep the worry out of her voice.   
  
"Yes! Of course I'm sure!" He looked down at the letter again and smiled widely. "I've never been so sure in my life."   
  
His mother sighed and frowned. Edwin stepped forward and put one hand on Amelia's shoulder and the other on Remus's. Amelia looked up at him and stared for a moment. They spoke to each other without any words, and after a moment, Amelia smiled.   
  
"Then you're going to Hogwarts, dear, and you'll love it there."   
  
Remus smiled up at his mum and jumped up from his seat. He'd never felt so energetic before. "I can't wait!" he cried. "When can we go to Diagon Alley? Today? Tomorrow? Next week?"   
  
His mother and father laughed.   
  
"How about in two weeks. It'll be too early for the crowds, but late enough so that we can be sure that you won't have a growth spurt between now and September," his mother suggested.   
  
"Like that'll happen," said Remus, "I haven't grown since I was nine."   
  
"You've grown—a few millimetres," teased his father.   
  
Remus just stuck his tongue out at him.   
  
_CRASH!_   
  
The unexpected noise from downstairs made Remus sit up in bed. He glanced at the clock and saw that it wasn't quite four in the morning. He knew that his mother had gone to sleep ages ago and his father wasn't due home until the day after tomorrow.   
  
He began to kick the sheets off of him when he heard another crash from downstairs. He froze. He stayed still, staring at his door, for a while before finally getting the courage to move and slide out of bed.   
  
His insides gripped at him as he thought of possible burglars from town. He didn't think the small town that they lived by had many thieves, but he had only been there twice himself.   
  
Slowly, he tiptoed toward his slightly open door and peeked out.   
  
There was another crash.   
  
Remus started slightly and saw his mother's door open. Amelia stepped out of her room in her bathrobe with her wand out. She slowly stalked toward the stairs. She came to the top step and peered down. He heard her gasp.   
  
"Edwin?" she breathed before she descended down the stairs, not even looking back toward him.   
  
He pushed open his door a bit more and crept out down the corridor in curiosity. He remembered his father once telling him that his curiosity would get him killed, but even now those words seemed quite hollow.   
  
He was nearly to the top of the stairs when he heard his mother's voice float up to him once again.   
  
"Edwin?" she asked. "Edwin, what are you doing home—are you drunk?"   
  
Remus's eyebrows shot up. By the sound of her voice, he could tell that he wasn't the only one surprised by that statement. He had never known his father to drink alcohol other than once in his life, and that had been the night of his first transformation. He crept closer to the staircase and peered over it.   
  
"What happened?"   
  
"I can't believe they—the Ministry is corrupt—why would they—"   
  
His father's syllables kept getting lost in his throat, and Remus had a hard time trying to determine exactly what his father was saying. He slid down the first step clutched the banister.   
  
"You aren't making any sense. Please, just tell me what's wrong."   
  
"I've been let go, Amelia."   
  
"_What?_"   
  
"I've been let go! Fired! _Sacked!_"   
  
Remus's eyes widened and he had to hold his breath to keep from gasping out loud. He slid down another step to get closer to the conversation. There was a long silence.   
  
"Why?"   
  
"You don't want to know."   
  
There was a pain in his voice that made Remus shudder.   
  
"Yes, I do. Tell me. Why?"   
  
He slid down another step, and his father sighed.   
  
"Do you remember Bobby?"   
  
"The trainee? Of course I remember him—he used to get you so annoyed. Why? What's this have to do with your old trainee?"   
  
"Well, he still works in the department, and he still remembers why I left in the first place."   
  
"Because of Remus?"   
  
"Because Remus is a werewolf."   
  
Remus nearly slipped, but he caught himself before he fell. Swallowing hard, he strained to catch what his parents were saying.   
  
"What do you mean?"   
  
"Exactly what it sounds like. Bobby remembered that my son was a werewolf and thought that if this got out it would make the company look bad, so he went the Department Head and of course they agreed."   
  
"They can't fire you for something you can't control!"   
  
"Apparently, they can."   
  
Remus felt his surprise quickly be replaced by guilt. He knew, in the back of his mind, that he couldn't control the prejudice that other people had, but he couldn't help feeling slightly guilty.   
  
"Things will be alright, though. I'll get a job in town—as a waitress or something—we don't need to worry about that."   
  
"Yes, we do," his father sighed. "Remus is supposed to leave for school in less than two months—we'll never get enough money for all of his supplies before then."   
  
"We have money saved up, Edwin—"   
  
"No we don't, Amelia. We used nearly our whole life savings on Healers."   
  
The house was filled with an uncomfortable silence. Remus found that he was holding his breath as he waited for his mother's answer. He should have _known_ that something was bound to happen to prevent him from going to school.   
  
"We'll get the money somehow." She paused. "I haven't spoken to my parents in years, but I'm sure they'd be willing to let me borrow something from them. My sister will be willing to help, I'm sure—"   
  
"Amelia, is this the same family you decided to never talk to again when you married me?"   
  
"Yes," she said slowly, "but desperate times call for desperate measures. I will not let this stand in the way of my son's education."   
  
"Neither will I," said his father, sounding slightly surprised at how passionate Amelia was being about Remus going to school when she had been the one opposed to it.   
  
"Then I'll owl them tomorrow. For right now—" she made a sound of disgust, "go make yourself a cup of tea while I brew you a Sobering Solution."   
  
It seemed as though neither of his parents wanted to discuss their financial problems with Remus. He knew they thought he would ask them why they were suddenly without income, and he had to admit that they were right. He just wished that they thought him mature enough to handle it.   
  
He had thought it over that night while he lay in bed and decided there was nothing that could be done about it. He couldn't control other people's prejudice, could he? It didn't stop him from feeling guilty, but it did stop him from brooding on it constantly.   
  
Three days later, his mother sent him off to the Brookes house so that she could "visit some relatives." He knew that she was going to go talk to his grandparents and aunt about getting some money. All he could do was pray for her success.   
  
Remus must have been quieter than usual while he was sitting in Cassi's room, because she kept asking him what was wrong. He finally came up with an excuse that she seemed to believe.   
  
"I got accepted into a boarding school in Ireland, and I won't be able to see you for a year. I just hate goodbyes, you know?"   
  
In all truth, he had no idea where Hogwarts was. He remembered his father telling him about the furious snowball fights that he and his dorm mates used to have during the winter season, though, so he assumed it had to be somewhere up north.   
  
Cassi had been sad at the news, but had congratulated him on being accepted. When she asked if they could write each other, however, Remus got tongue-tied and stumbled over his words, finally telling her that he'd have to ask his parents if that was possible. She seemed satisfied with the answer, and Remus decided that she was either very gullible or he was just a good liar. He didn't know which was better.   
  
As July ended, the full moon passing with it, his mother finally mentioned taking a trip to Diagon Alley. Remus took this as a sign that she had finally collected enough money for his supplies. He supposed that he ought to feel bad that it had taken her so long, but all he felt was excitement about the trip that was coming up. To him, this was just another step along the way to get him closer to Hogwarts.   
  
A week before September first, Remus and Amelia found themselves riding the underground toward the middle of London. Remus kept fidgeting in his seat unable to keep still. He was extremely nervous and excited.   
  
He kept wringing his hands together so he could do something other than bounce in his seat like a four year old. After nearly ten straight minutes of doing this, however, his mother reached over and firmly placed her hand on top of Remus's.   
  
"Stop it," she ordered.   
  
"Stop what?" asked Remus, not really paying attention as his hands went back to wringing themselves nervously.   
  
"Stop _that_." She reached over and held his hands again. "It makes you look dreadfully nervous."   
  
"But I _am_ nervous," said Remus.   
  
"You're nervous because you're afraid people will notice that you're nervous and they'll only notice you're nervous if you show that you're nervous."   
  
Remus stared at her. "Huh?"   
  
"Just do something else to make it less obvious that you're nervous," said his mother simply. "My mother used to tell us that when we were young. I ended up getting the habit of biting my nails—don't do that."   
  
He grimaced a bit at the thought and was about to say that the thought didn't particularly appeal to him when she spoke up again.   
  
"My sister used to chew her lip, though—always made her look like she was thinking. You could try that if you want."   
  
Remus still had no idea what the conversation he had just had with his mother was about, but he nodded in agreement anyway. He kept unconsciously wringing his hands with his mother scolding him every once in a while. He couldn't help but be nervous, however. He had never been to Diagon Alley, and he kept coming up with crazy scenes of what it really looked like. The real thing was nothing like he had imagined.   
  
The moment his mother tapped the brick that opened the archway into the alley, Remus was in awe. He completely forgot about his nerves and felt a huge grin spread across his face as he scanned the arrays of shops that lay before him.   
  
"Get your supply list out. We might as well begin." Amelia said promptly as they walked down the lane and into the hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley.   
  
Remus stuffed his hand into his pocket and fished out the crumpled piece of parchment. He looked it over and knitted his eyebrows together. "That's a lot of stuff to buy. Will we be able to affo—er, I mean, will we be able to get it all?"   
  
Amelia didn't reply as she was looking around searching for a recognizable shop through the crowd, but Remus knew that she had heard his slip. She had tensed and swallowed hastily before pointing to their left as if she hadn't heard him.   
  
"Ah! There's Madam Malkin's. Let's go in there first—"   
  
"Mum?" asked Remus, not moving even though his mother had taken a few steps forward.   
  
She stopped and turned toward him, a tight expression on her face. She forced on a smile and nodded, "Of course we will, my little prince. There's nothing to worry about. Now come on—let's not dawdle."   
  
He gave his mother a sceptical look, but followed her into the shop. Madam Malkin and her assistant were both busy with two boys (twins, it looked like) who were already being fitted. With a quick look at his mother who had gone to the closest rack to browse, Remus decided to explore.   
  
It wasn't a very interesting place. There were many racks with mostly women's robes, and every single one of them looked to be priced over five galleons. He winced. His mother had talked about getting him at least four school robes. If they did that he was sure that they'd be out of gold by the time they left the shop.   
  
Remus sighed as he wandered to the window and looked out it. He watched as a wizard with four young girls walked past the window, a witch was dragging her son by the arm a bit more forcefully then needed slightly behind them, and straight across the main street a cute blond girl with curls was entering Sally's Second-Hand Robes for All Occasions. Remus blinked and smiled slightly. That was exactly the type of shop they needed.   
  
He called his mother over and showed the shop to her. She gave him a sad look as she realized what he was trying to do, and after a moment in which mother and son stared at each other stubbornly, she finally nodded. They left Madam Malkin's and entered the second-hand robe shop.   
  
It was nearly identical to Madam Malkin's except there were more racks for robes and no place to be measured. The blond that he had seen earlier was looking through one of the racks at the other side of the store with her mother, father, and Sally, the owner. Amelia and Remus found a few robes for him and paid for them after the blond had left.   
  
They stopped to buy parchment and ink. His mother surprised him by buying different colour quills. He instantly felt guilty, but decided that one thing didn't matter and decided to enjoy them. They went into the Apothecary next. Remus quickly decided that it was his least favourite store so far. It smelt of rotten eggs and old cabbage, and he waited by the door while his mother got him the standard potion supplies.   
  
In the next store, Remus bought his pewter cauldron and a used collapsible telescope. He followed his mother into the bookshop, Flourish and Blotts, as he heard her say, "This was my favourite shop as a kid. Then again, it was most Ravenclaws' favourite shop."   
  
She led him through the shelves putting the books he would need for the upcoming term into his cauldron. She stopped in the last aisle and seemed to be considering something. After a moment, she reached back into his cauldron and took out a few books, and he knew that she had put second-hand books into his cauldron instead. This didn't bother him, however. The books didn't look to be in that bad condition, and he was eager to read them no matter what condition they were in.   
  
"Now I need my wand, right, Mum?" asked Remus outside of Flourish and Blotts.   
  
"Right, and the only place for that," she paused as she pushed him through the crowd, "is Ollivanders." She pointed at the shabby shop in front of them.   
  
He looked at the shop curiously. He had expected the wand shop to be the best looking shop in the alley. There was a wand in the window sitting on a purple cushion. He wondered if it was a very expensive wand or if it was just very famous. He pointed this out to his mother and she smiled mysteriously.   
  
"I'm not sure, but I hear it's rumoured to have once belonged to Merlin himself."   
  
The shop announced their entrance with the sound of a bell tinkling. Other than that, the shop was completely silent. There seemed to be layers of dust everywhere and everything seemed oddly ancient. There were thousands of rows of neatly stacked boxes right up to the ceiling. He swallowed and looked behind him to realize that his mother had sat down on the only piece of furniture in the place, a chair.   
  
"Good day, Mr. Lupin."   
  
Remus started and spun around. A white-haired man stood in front of him. His pale eyes were shining like two full moons in the gloom of the shop. Remus shivered involuntarily. He began to wring his hands together again, but felt his mother's stern glare on the back of his neck and forced his hands to his sides.   
  
"I wondered when I would be receiving a visit from you," Mr. Ollivander continued. "Let me see, Remus Lupin." He pulled a long tape measure from his cloak pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"   
  
Remus held out his right hand hesitantly. The tape measure left Mr. Ollivander's hands and began to measure him on its own accord. Mr. Ollivander turned away and moved through the rows, taking down boxes and piling them in his arms.   
  
Right when Remus thought he could carry no more, he said, "That will do," and the tape measure fell to the floor, lifeless. Mr. Ollivander set the pile of boxes at his feet and picked up the top box. "Try this one. Yew and dragon heartstring. Eight and three quarter inches. Nice and swishy. Give it a wave—go on."   
  
Raising the wand, Remus gave it a little wave, but it was snatched out of his hand right away and replaced with another one.   
  
"Oak and phoenix feather. Thirteen inches. Rather whippy. Wave it—"   
  
Remus waved it and Mr. Ollivander snatched it from his hand again. He wondered what he was looking for when another wand was pushed into his hand. Odd warmth filled his fingers as he heard Mr. Ollivander say, "Ebony and unicorn hair. Nine and a quarter inches. Quite supple." He brought the wand down and a stream of gold and bronze sparks shot out of the end.   
  
His mother gave a muffled squeal of excitement, and Mr. Ollivander clapped his hands together and cried, "Yes, yes, bravo, very nice indeed!" all the while staring at Remus with those wide, pale eyes.   
  
Remus shivered and stepped back slightly. His mother paid five Galleons for his wand, and they left the shop for which Remus was glad. His mother jingled her purse and smiled.   
  
"Just enough," she said.   
  
"Just enough for what?" asked Remus.   
  
"Just enough left to get you a pet."   
  
"I don't need—"   
  
"Of course you don't need one, but I want to get you one. Now come on, there's the Magical Menagerie." Amelia said as she walked toward the shop.   
  
Remus hesitated a moment before hurrying after her as quickly as he could with a cauldron full of supplies. He slowed to a walk as he caught up with her and they went inside. There wasn't much room to move. Every wall of the shop was lined with cages whose occupants smelled, yowled, croaked or twittered. Remus followed his mother who was examining the cages.   
  
"How about an owl?" she asked, as she gazed into a barn owl's cage.   
  
"We already have Nylon; he might be old but he can still deliver mail," said Remus logically.   
  
"Hmmm… Okay, what about a cat? I used to always want a cat."   
  
Remus shook his head firmly. "I don't like cats."   
  
Amelia looked at him and rolled her eyes while muttering, "Just like your father." She peered through the rat cages. She opened her mouth, but Remus beat her to it.   
  
"What about a frog?" he asked. "Frogs are neat. I wouldn't say no to a lizard either."   
  
"What is it with boys and reptiles?" Amelia sighed. "Alright, let's look at the frog cages."   
  
They squeezed through the shop toward another set of cages. There were toads and frogs of all colours and sizes. A particularly bright-coloured orange, green, and yellow frog was sleeping on a willow branch that had been placed in his cage.   
  
Remus crouched down to get a better look and said, "This one's neat looking."   
  
"He looks poisonous," said Amelia.   
  
She tapped the cage as if to make sure that he wasn't dead. The frog's red eyes snapped open. It started, fell off the branch, and suddenly vanished. Remus blinked.   
  
"Er—where did it go?"   
  
"Hey, it likes you!" the shop keeper cried as she bustled over, her thick black spectacles threatening to fall off the end of her nose.   
  
She reached toward Remus and pulled the colourful frog off his shoulder. Remus's eyes widened.   
  
"How did it—?"   
  
"This," interrupted the shop keeper, "is a Red-Eyed Vanishing Tree Frog. It has its own Apparating license built in. Much like house-elves, it can Apparate even under an Anti-Apparation ward. Interested?"   
  
Remus looked over at his mum and grinned. His mother sighed.   
  
"How much does it cost?"   
  
Twenty minutes and instructions on how to care for his frog later, Remus and his mother made their way back to the Leaky Cauldron. Remus hadn't really taken a good look at the pub when he had first entered it, being too keen on getting into Diagon Alley to really notice anything else.   
  
The famous pub was much like the wand shop. Though highly recommended, it looked worse for wear. It was poorly lit with several different smells mixing together. It was fairly crowded today with people laughing and talking at their respective tables.   
  
Amelia and Remus took a seat at an empty table and he set his supplies at his feet and put his frog on the table. He rested his chin on the table so that he was eye-level with the frog.   
  
"What are you going to name it?" asked his mother.   
  
He looked up at her. He could tell that she still wasn't too thrilled about having something wet and slimy with the ability to Apparate at will in the house.   
  
Remus looked back at the frog. "I don't know, perhaps… Rodger."   
  
"Rodger?"   
  
"Yeah," said Remus grinning, "Rodger." He tapped the cage and said, "Hello, Rodger."   
  
Rodger looked up at him with large red eyes and '_pop_' disappeared. Amelia squealed and Remus grinned. He brought his other hand out from under the table and held out his palm where Rodger sat.   
  
"Could you please stop having him do that?" pleaded Amelia.   
  
Remus bit back a smile. "I can try." He looked down at Rodger and said, "Stop scaring my mum. Now, back in your cage."   
  
'_Pop._'   
  
His mother squealed again and Rodger reappeared in his cage. Remus smiled innocently at her and she glared at him in response.   
  
Two days after the trip to Diagon Alley, there was another full moon. Remus was glad it hadn't come any closer to September first. He was nearly back to usual strength the day before he was to leave. He decided to spend his day with Cassi. They had become closer friends over the summer, and though he wouldn't admit it, he would miss her.   
  
They both threw on their swimwear and ran the whole way to the lake. This had become a routine for them over the course of the summer. The picnic area that they had begun to build at the end of June looked more like a camping area in Remus's opinion.   
  
The lake was another thing that he was going to miss. His father had told him that there was a lake at Hogwarts, but he also told him that people didn't swim in it because of the giant squid.   
  
While they waded into the depths of the lake, Cassi said, "Soon, we're going to have a rope hanging from one of those trees over there and we'll be able to swing into the lake!"   
  
Remus thought the idea was sort of crazy, though also a bit intriguing.   
  
Remus and Cassi had splashed and played for nearly an hour when Remus began to feel a burn on his skin. Not wanting to be sunburned on his first day at Hogwarts, he climbed out of the lake and settled onto the bench that Devlin had put there the day he had gone shopping in Diagon Alley. The thought still made him smile.   
  
"What are you smiling about?" asked Cassi as she climbed out of the lake as well.   
  
"You didn't have to get out," he told her.   
  
"It's no fun by yourself," she explained. "So, what were you smiling about?"   
  
"I was just thinking about when I went to buy my school supplies," he said.   
  
"Really? Why were you smiling then? Shouldn't you dread school?"   
  
Remus chuckled. "You would think so, wouldn't you? No, I'm looking forward to it."   
  
"Well, if your school is such a wonderful one, I want to go too."   
  
Remus got the impression that she only half meant it. He just shrugged it off and grinned.   
  
"Did you ask your mum about sending letters?" she asked suddenly.   
  
"Huh? Oh, yeah… she said to just give her the letters and she'll send them and then I can send the replies back to her and she can give them to you."   
  
"That's a bit complicated," said Cassi. "Why don't you just give me the address to send it myself?"   
  
Remus bit the inside of his lip nervously and forced his hands to remain at his side. "I don't know, that's just what my mother said," he said not meeting her eye.   
  
"Hmmm," she said absently. "Okay. Do you have to wear a uniform and is it completely hideous?"   
  
Remus laughed.   
  
That evening, before supper, Amelia walked into Remus's room to find him flipping through his Charms book with his wand in his right hand and a completely black Rodger in front of him. Amelia stared for a few moments before shaking herself out of her confusion.   
  
"What did you do?"   
  
Remus started, then turned toward her with an innocent smile. "I'm just practicing a bit of magic."   
  
"Did you mean to turn him black?" asked Amelia sceptically.   
  
Remus nodded. "Of course I did."   
  
"Are you going to just leave him like that then or are you going to turn him back?"   
  
He shifted nervously and looked up at her sheepishly. "I—er… don't know how."   
  
She rolled her eyes and brought out her wand. "Here… Finite—"   
  
"No!" interrupted Remus quickly. "I want to do it. Can you tell me the spell, please?"   
  
Amelia placed her hands on her hips and surveyed her son closely. She slowly nodded. "Alright, I'll teach you." She sat down beside him and held her wand out in front of her. "It's a very simple spell—ends most incantations—but if you mispronounce it you can have very interesting results." She smiled. "Trust me."   
  
"What type of results?" he asked, intrigued.   
  
"Well," she said, smiling in remembrance, "one time when I was about fifteen, I went to put out a small magical fire and said _Incan-TAR-tem_ instead of _Incan-TA-tem_. I ended up surrounding the fire with bright pink daffodils."   
  
Remus stared up at her, his eyes wide.   
  
Amelia nodded. "Yes, you can get quite odd results when you mispronounce a spell. So first, you must learn how to say it. Remember: It's _Fin-ITE Incan-TA-tem_. Say it."   
  
"_Finite Incantar_—er… sorry, I mean _Finite Incantatem_. Right?"   
  
"Right, we don't want pink daffodils in your room, now do we? Though, I suppose it would brighten the place up a bit…"   
  
Remus grimaced as his mother laughed at him.   
  
"Perhaps not, huh?" She smiled. "Alright, now try it with your wand. All you need for this spell is a simple flick. There's nothing much to it other than pronunciation."   
  
He brought up his wand and cleared his throat. He flicked his wand and said determinedly, "_Finite Incantatem!_"   
  
Nothing happened. Remus looked up at his mother.   
  
"Well, you didn't expect to get it right on the first try, did you?" said his mother, smiling. "Go on, try it again."   
  
"Alright," said Remus uncertainly. He flicked his wand again. "_Finite Incantatem!_"   
  
Rodger's black coat turned back to its usual bright orange, green, and yellow. Amelia made a face and stood.   
  
"I liked it better when he was black," she said and walked to the doorway. "Dinner's nearly ready, Remus, come help your father set the table… and do put Rodger back in his cage, will you?"   
  
"Okay, Mum," he said, grinning. He turned back to the frog in front of him and said, "Back in your cage, Rodger."   
  
'_Pop._'   
  
His mother squealed. 


End file.
